News: Prince Harry, Gay-straight Alliances, Scott Speedman

Politics played a role in the government's response to Hurrricane Katrina, according to former FEMA head Michael Brown: "Political storm clouds gathered again over the federal government's response to Hurricane Katrina as former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown said party politics influenced decisions on whether to take federal control of Louisiana and other areas affected by the hurricane. Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco said the partisanship Brown described was "disgusting," while a White House spokeswoman said Brown was making "false statements." Brown told a group of graduate students Friday that some in the White House had suggested the federal government should take charge in Louisiana because Blanco was a Democrat, while leaving Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican, in control in his state." (via crooks & liars)

Tony Blair backs his Communities secretary Ruth Kelly as she attempts to find a loophole in new gay rights laws that would allow Catholic adoption agencies to turn away gay couples: "A spokeswoman for Ms Kelly, who has overall responsibility for equality, said the minister wanted to "protect the pool of prospective parents" and would be trying to find a "pragmatic way forward" this week. The Catholic church has threatened to close its seven adoption agencies rather than comply with laws that forbid them to discriminate against gay couples."

Comments

Well...I had no idea who Scott Speedman was, but nonetheless I'll need to remain seated for a few minutes to avoid an uncomfortable situation with the co-workers.

Posted by: burnssuit | Jan 22, 2007 1:04:07 PM

The Speedman blurb was kinda misleading. I thought perhaps he was starring in a film at Sundance that pulled on one's heartstrings. Actually, he's got a film at Slamdance (competing film festival in the same area) called "Weirdsville." (http://www.slamdance.com/2007/festival/film_detail.asp?film_id=1000).

No idea what Blair is playing (unless his vaunted "Christian" conscience is having an effect) but I doubt it's for Bush on this occasion. This particular nonsense stinks but it was Blair's govt that gave us civil unions and other positive legislation like dumping Section 28 and equalising the age of consent (for which they had to fight tooth and nail with the House of Lords). I'd happily see him in the dock over the Iraq war but his govt has been one of the most (if not *the* most) gay-friendly ever. That's what makes this Ruth Kelly crap so annoying. She's a member of Catholic sect Opus Dei; draw your own conclusions.

One of Blair's best friends, Peter Mandelson, is gay; I'd love to hear his opinion about this.

Posted by: John C | Jan 22, 2007 1:57:01 PM

Bravo to the judge, who showed far more sense than the criminal court judge who dismissed the charges against the 11 “Xtians.” The so-called Repent America group isn’t as high on everyone’s radar as Phelps and his inbred cult, but it’s not for lacking of trying. Their media whore leader Marcavage is just a younger version whom I’ve personally seen at full homohysterical mast in both San Francisco and at the 2005 Equality Forum

where the picture below we was taken of gay philanthropist James Hormel, movement icon Frank Kameny, Hormel’s partner Tim Wu, and activist Chip Arndt responding to Marcavage’s minions who were trying to disrupt the award ceremony.

Among other moral atrocities, they have publicly denounced the pending federal hate crimes bill, and are trying to overturn those in Pennsylvania. If you don’t think Marcavage, who thinks Bush is too liberal, is dangerous, read his own words, the first of which he later denied meaning:

"According to the Scriptures, it’s the government’s job to enforce God’s law and to uphold his law, and the Bible talks about how, I don’t want to really get into this — it’ll make me sound like I’m crazy — but it does talk about how [homosexuals] are to be put to death. The wages of sin is death. But I want to make [it] clear that I’m not advocating the [independent] killing of homosexuals. … I’m saying that the government’s duty is to uphold God’s law. … I know that’s harsh, but we have all broken the law, God’s law, and we need to be held accountable."

And on Katrina:

"We believe that God is in control of the weather. The day Bourbon Street and the French Quarter was flooded was the day that 125,000 homosexuals were going to be celebrating sin in the streets. We're calling it an act of God."

And, relative to the story about GSAs in South Florida, Arndt is now a spokesperson for GLSEN South Florida, led by Robert Loupo who is quoted in the article.

Posted by: Michael | Jan 22, 2007 1:57:58 PM

re: Iran.

I continue to believe that Dick Cheney (not to mention his family) is far more dangerous to this country and global peace and prosperity than George Bush could ever be.

It is totally unclear to me what this guys' problem is and that despite the mid-term elections, failure in Iraq, awful poll-numbers, Bush continues to let this guy roam free.

Let us pray that between now and 2008, Bush does not eat any more pretzels.

Posted by: hoya86 | Jan 22, 2007 2:07:20 PM

Scott Speedman..*wipes off keyboard*....is so ridiculously hot in addition to being a pretty decent actor and seemingly great guy. Life just really isnt fair sometimes! LOL He is the ONLY reason why I watched those two boring ass Underworld movies. Oh man and those lips........egads!